NAME:  L. Blaine Hammond, Jr. (Colonel, USAF)
       NASA Astronaut
 
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE:  Born January 16, 1952, in Savannah, Georgia, but
considers St. Louis, Missouri, as his hometown.  His parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Lloyd B. Hammond, Sr., reside in Stuart, Florida.
 
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:  Brown hair; blue eyes; 6 feet 2 inches; 190 pounds.
 
EDUCATION:  Graduated from Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri, in 1969;
received a bachelor of science degree in engineering science and mechanics from
the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1973, and a master of science degree in
engineering science and mechanics from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1974.
 
MARITAL STATUS:  Single
 
CHILDREN:  Son, Michael Blaine, June 20, 1987.
 
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS:  He enjoys tennis, golf, racquetball, squash, snow
skiing, sailing, and scuba diving.
 
ORGANIZATIONS:  Member of the Air Force Academy Association of Graduates, Air
Force Association, and the Order of Daedalians.
 
SPECIAL HONORS:  Distinguished Graduate USAF Academy, Commander's Trophy, and
Flying Training Award in Undergraduate Pilot Training.
 
EXPERIENCE:  Hammond received his pilot wings at Reese Air Force Base, Texas,
in 1975.  He was assigned to the 496th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Hahn Air
Base, Germany, flying the F-4E.  In 1979-1980, he flew the F-5B/E/F at Williams
Air Force Base, Arizona, training foreign students.  He attended the Empire
Test Pilot School (ETPS) at A&AEE Boscombe Down, United Kingdom, in 1981.
Hammond returned to Edwards Air Force Base, California, in 1982, where he
managed several projects in the 6,512 Test Squadron until being assigned as an
instructor at the USAF Test Pilot School.  As a test pilot school instructor,
he flew the F-4/A-7/A-37 and was the High Angle of Attack program monitor,
teaching stall/spin theory and flight training.
 
He has logged over 3,900 hours in 15 American and 10 RAF aircraft.
 
NASA EXPERIENCE:  Selected by NASA in May 1984, Hammond became an astronaut in
June 1985, and is qualified for assignment as a pilot on future Space Shuttle
flight crews.  His technical assignments include having served as the back-up
Ascent and prime Entry spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) for STS-26.  In that
capacity he was directly involved in the decision-making process of flight
rules, procedures, techniques, and launch commit criteria.  He was also
assigned as an Astronaut Support Personnel (ASP).  As an ASP or "Cape
Crusader," he was responsible for monitoring the Orbiter's status as it
undergoes maintenance and testing in preparation for the next flight.  He is
presently the lead astronaut supporting the Shuttle Avionics and Integration
Laboratory (SAIL) which tests and verifies the flight software for each Shuttle
mission.
 
Colonel Hammond flew as pilot for Discovery on STS-39, an unclassified
Department of Defense mission (April 28, through May 6, 1991).  He logged 199
hours and 23 minutes of space flight.  The seven-man crew performed numerous
scientific experiments to collect data on atmospheric infrared and ultraviolet
phenomena in support of the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization.
 
FEBRUARY 1992